South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1887-06-03

rhc Thrilling Adventure ef a SPA,
inn Dhv~P.

nc BnttNtmK Adventure OIL a SD0n-
ion Diver.
A Spanish diver. while at work be-
meath the sea on the wreck Of vessel.
met with a thrilling adventure, and gives
the following graphic account of IL: ..At
the time was !, at the bottom Of the sea ,,
says Alfetto. IL WAS just about TO sig
oal to be drawn up Tor a moments rest.
when l noticed a shadowy BODY moving
1t some distance above me and toward
me. In moment every fish had dis
appeared, the very cr,istaccans lay still
Upon the sand, and the cutie fish scurried
sway Is fast as they could. was not
thinking OF Danger and my first thought
was that it was the shadow Of d passing
boat. But suddenly feeling Of terror
seized me. i felt impelled to fee from
something, knew not what. A vague
horror secmed grasping after me, such
IS child feels when entcrin.- dark
ened room. BY this time the shadow
had come nearer and taken shape. IL
scarcely needed a glance to show me
that II was man eater. and one of the
largest sire. Had signalcd TO be drawn
up then 1t would have bcea certain death.
All l could do was to remain until il left.
it lay OF twenty or twenty five feet, Jus.
outside the rigging Of the ship, its
body motionlcss, its fins barely stir.
ring the water above its gills. 1t
was monster as il was, bat TO add
to the horror tho pressure Of the
water upon my head male it an.
pear rs if it were pouring flames from its
eyes and mouth, and every movement of
its fins and tail seemed ACCOMPANIED by
display of fireworks. / was sure the
lsh was thirty feet long, and so near
that could see its double row of white
teeth. Involun;arily | shrank closer to
the side OF the vessel. But my first
movement betrayed my presence saw
the shining eyes fixed upon me; its tail
quivered as 1t dartcd at me like streak
OIL light. shrank closer to the side of
the ship. l saw it turn one side, its
mouth open, and heard the teeth snap as
1t dartcd by me. 1t had mis- ,cd mc, but
only for moment. The sweep of its
mighty tail had thrown me forward. l
saw 1t turn, balance itself, and its tail
quiyered a. it daricd at me again There
was no escape Ii turned on its back rs
it swooped down on me like Il hawk on
sparrow. The jaws opened and the
long shining teeth grated as they closed
on my metal harness. II had me.
could fee- its teeth grinding on my cop
two-for, fortunately, it had caught me
just across the middle, where was best
protected. Having seized me it went
tearing through the water. l could tceI
1t bound forward ut each stroke of is
tail. Had it not been Tor nv
copper helmet my head would
have been torn off by the rush throurh
the water. | was perfectly conscious,
but somehow l fet no terror n. all.
There was only feeling of mumbncss.
wondered how long it would be before
those teeth were crushed through, and
whether they would strike first into nv
back or my breast. Then thought of
Maggie and the baby, and wondered
who would take care of them. and If she
would ever know what had become of
me. All these thoughts passed through
my brain in an instant, but the connect
ing air-tubc had been snapped, and my
mead seemed ready to burst with pres
sure, while the monsters teeth kept
crunching and grinding upon my har-
ness. Then felt the cold water begin
to pour in, and heard the bubble, bubble.
as the air escaped into the creatures
mouth. began to hear great guns and
to sec fireworks and rainbows and sun
shine, and all kinds of pretty things:
then thought was floating away on a
rosy summer cloud, dream ng the sounds
of sweet music. Then all became b ans
The shark might now have eaten me ur
at his leisure, and / shonld have been
none the wiser. Imagine nv astonish
mcnt then when opened my eyes on
board and saw You fellows around me.
Alfetto was found by his comrades
few minutes after the snappinr Of the
line. He was picked up insensible with
several holes punched in the metallic
part of his diving suit.- Casseirs Journal.